David Bowie ‘The Next Day’ by Floria Sigismondi

As he’s spent 2013 being praised to the heavens for his godlike genius, and most people think he can probably walk on water (and maybe even rose from the dead…) David Bowie actually plays Christ in Floria Sigismondi’s video for The Next Day.

Also starring Bowie’s pal Gary Oldman, as a bad guy priest who turns up at the Catholic church’s favourite bar, and Marion Cotillard as a courtesan with blood-spurting stigmata. Floria does not stint on the symbolic Catholic imagery and characters (including a Joan of Arc, a self-flagellating priest and deeply immoral Cardinal) and their proximity to fun and debauchery. Nor the blood, of which there are bucketloads. Which all added up to a ‘ban’ – it went missing on YouTube for a few hours on the day of release – and another PR triumph.

But it all makes sense in a strange way – and as it features Marion Cotillard losing herself in sensual reverie… well, say no more. And Bowie maintains a canny position of being almost a co-star in his own video – and a restrained sense of humour, as indicated by his speech of thanks at the end. Wuzza wuzz.